Document g2pzXNqNB938a4Ma33Mk94dxN

Private citizen testimony, May 19, 2009, testimony at a public EPA hearing at the Potomac Yard. The hearing was one of two being held that week, the other being in Seattle, WA, to take in testimonies of citizens in response to the EPA's recent then recently proposed "Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gases under Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act". Good afternoon I'm a Consulting Geophysicist from Wichita, Kansas. I represent no interest group, although I will say that virtually my entire career has been spent in two industries: Energy and Environmental. I am also one of 34,000 American scientists, and counting, who have signed a Petition, that urges our government in the strongest possible terms to detach this country from any commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, or from anything that might resemble it in the future. I realize we are not here today to talk about Kyoto, per se, however, it does relate, as you are well aware. I have reviewed every page of your "Endangerment ...Findings...," and I must say I have very strong disagreements with a number of your conclusions. Apparently, you have chosen to ignore large bodies of evidence. As a scientist, I am appalled, by many of your "findings." For example, the document issued the following statement: "There is strong evidence that global sea level gradually rose in the 20th century and is currently rising at an increased rate." However, the University of Colorado reports that the average sea level rise over the past 10,000 years was 4 feet/century, and that current sea-level rise is little more than 1 ft/century. In fact, the most recent evidence actually suggests that virtually zero increase has occurred since 2005. And we have the following: "Ocean C02 uptake has lowered the average ocean pH (increased acidity) level by approximately 0.1 since 1750. Consequences for marine ecosystems may include reduced calcification by shell-forming organisms...." However, data cited in a report (January 2009) by the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change clearly shows that 'The 20th century has witnessed the second highest period of above average calcification in the past 237 years." Administrator Jackson, you took a serious grilling last Tuesday at the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing, where rightly so, Wyoming Senator John Barrasso repeatedly cited a White House memo. That memo points to some very telling and problematic circumstances which are essential in attempting to quantify the character of earth's atmospheric conditions. For example, the memo states "Some issues to cover that would address costs, benefits, and risks include the following: * Quality and homogeneity of temperature data from surface networks that may affect estimates of past temperature trends, and calibration and verification of models." 17cv1906 Sierra Club v. EPA - 6/22 Production ED 001523 00008124-00001 With respect to this point, you should be aware, and I would be very surprised if you are not, that from 1989-1991 an abrupt change occurred in the number of weather stations that had been recording temperature data in Canada and Siberia. The number of stations recording data went from approximately 12,000 to approximately 6,000. And guess what, the average GLOBAL temperature suddenly soared from about 10 degrees C to about 11.5 degrees C, in the span of one year, continuing throughout the 1990's-the "hottest decade ever"! Entirely due to the elimination of 6,000 COLD weather stations! I could go on for hours, but I'm going to leave you with this: The American people are going to find out more and more every day about these very sorts of improper handling of fundamentally important data relevant to this discussion. Each and every one of you has the deep responsibility to deliver the truth to the American people. I sincerely hope you can find the courage to override the prevailing "consensus." Thank you for your time." 17cv1906 Sierra Club v. EPA 6/22 Production ED 001523 00008124-00002